nion. Whoever contends against it, shall know and find that it is present with them, that it is powerful in them. He shall find the stream to be strong, who swims against it, though he who rolls along with it, be insensible of it.

Thirdly, The general frame of believers, notwithstanding the inhabitation of this law of sin, is here also expressed: "They would do good." This law is present, THELONTI EMOI POIEIN TO KALON; the habitual inclination of their will is unto good. This law in them, is not a law unto them, as it is to unbelievers. They are not wholly obnoxious to its power, nor morally to its commands. Grace hath the sovereignty in their souls; this gives them a will to good; they would do good, that is, always and constantly. POIEIN AMARTIAN, to commit sin, is to make a trade of sin, to make it a man's business to sin; so it is said, a believer doth "not commit sin." And so POIEIN TO KALON, to do that which is good; to will to do so, is to have the habitual bent and inclination of the will set on that which is good, that is, morally and spiritually good, which is the proper subject treated of: whence is our third ob

servation.

There is, through grace kept up in believers, a constant and ordinarily prevailing will of doing good, notwithstanding the power and efficacy of indwelling sin to the contrary.

This, in their worst condition, distinguishes them from unbelievers in their best. The will in unbelievers is under the power of the law of sin: the opposition they make to sin, either in the root or branches of it, is from their light, and their con

sciences; the will of sinning in them is never taken away. Take away all other considerations and hinderances, whereof we shall treat afterwards, and they would sin willingly always. Their faint endeavours to answer their convictions, are far from a will of doing that which is good. They will plead indeed, that they would leave their sins if they could, and they would fain do better than they do. But it is the working of their light and convictions, not any spiritual inclination of their wills, which they intend by that expression. For where there is a will of doing good, there is a choice of that which is good for its own excellency, because it is desirable and suitable to the soul, and therefore to be preferred before that which is contrary. Now this is not in any unbelievers; they do not, they cannot so choose that which is spiritually good, nor is it so excellent or suitable to any principle that is in them only they have some desires to attain that end, whereunto that which is good doth lead, and to avoid that evil to which the neglect of it tends. And these also for the most part are so weak and languid in many of them, that they put them not upon any considerable endeavours: witness that luxury, sloth, worldliness, and security, that the generality of men are even drowned in. But in believers there is a will of doing good, an habitual disposition and inclination in their wills to that which is spiritually good. And where this is, it is accompanied with answerable effects. The will is the principle of our moral actions, and therefore to the prevailing disposition thereof will the general course of our actions be suited. Good things will proceed from the good

treasures of the heart.

Nor can this disposition be

evidenced to be in any but by its fruits. A will of doing good, without doing good, is but pretended.

Fourthly, There is yet another thing remaining in these words of the apostle, arising from that respect which the presence of sin hath unto the time and season of duty; " When I would do good, (saith he,) evil is present with me."

There are two things to be considered in the will of doing good, that is, in believers.

First, There is its habitual residence in them. They have always an habitual inclination of will to that which is good. And this habitual preparation for good is always present with them, as the apostle expresses it, verse 18th of this chapter.

Secondly, There are special times and seasons for the exercise of that principle. There is," when I would do good," a season wherein this or that good, this or that duty, is to be performed and accomplished, suitably to the habitual preparation and inclination of the will.

To these two, there are two things in indwelling sin opposed. To the gracious principle residing in the will, inclining to that which is spiritually good, it is opposed as it is a law, that is, a contrary principle, inclining to evil, with an aversion to that which is good. To the second, or the actual willing of this or that good in particular, to this, "when I would do good," is opposed the presence of this law, "evil is present with me;" PARAKEITAI MOI TO KAKON, evil is at hand, and ready to oppose the actual accomplishment of the good aimed at. Whence,

Indwelling sin is effectually operative in rebelling and inclining to evil, when the will of doing good is in a particular manner active, and inclining to obedience.

And this is the description of him who is a believer, and a sinner, as every one who is the former, he is the latter also. These are the contrary principles, and the contrary operations that are in him. The principles are, a will of doing good on the one hand from grace, and a law of sin on the other. Their adverse actings and operations are insinuated in those expressions, "When I would do good evil is present with me.” And these both are more fully expressed by the apostle: "For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other; so that I cannot do the things that I would."

And here lies the spring of the whole course of our obedience. An acquaintance with these several principles, and their actings, is the principal part of our wisdom. They are, upon the matter, next to the free grace of God in our justification by the blood of Christ, the only things wherein the glory of God and our own souls are concerned. These are the springs of our holiness and our sins, of our joys and troubles, of our refreshments and sorrows. It is then all our concern to be thoroughly acquainted with these things, who intend to walk with God, or to glorify him in this world.

And hence we may see what wisdom is required, in the guiding and management of our hearts and ways before God. Where the subjects of a ruler are in feuds and oppositions one against another, un

less great wisdom be used in the government of the whole, all things will quickly be ruinous in that state. There are these contrary principles in the hearts of believers, and if they labour not to be spiritually wise, how shall they be able to steer their course aright? Many men live in the dark to themselves all their days: whatever else they know, they know not themselves. They know their outward estates; how rich they are; and the condition. of their bodies, as to health and sickness, they are careful to examine; but as to their inward man, and their principles as to God and eternity, they know little or nothing. Indeed few labour to grow wise in this matter, few study themselves as they ought, are acquainted with the evil of their own hearts as they ought, on which yet the whole course of their obedience, and consequently of their eternal condition, depends. This, therefore, is our wisdom, and it is a needful wisdom, if we have any design to please God, or to avoid that which is a provocation to the eyes of his glory.

We shall find also in our inquiry hereunto, what diligence and watchfulness is required to a Christian conversation. There is a constant enemy to it in every one's own heart; and what an enemy it is we shall afterwards show, for this is our design, to discover him to the uttermost. In the mean time we may well bewail the woful sloth and negligence that is in the most, even of professors. They live and walk as though they intended to go to heaven hoodwinked and asleep, as though they had no enemy to deal with. Their mistake therefore and folly will be fully laid open in our progress.